TEMECULA: Bringing more power to the people

SCE proposes new substation for Temecula

TEMECULA -- The time has come to bring more power to the people
of Temecula, or at least more electricity.

The growing number of residents in the region has stressed the
electrical supply and, because of that, Southern California Edison
is proposing to build a substation in northeast Temecula.

The preferred site for the proposed Triton substation is a
9-acre lot at the southwest corner of Nicolas and Los Choras Ranch
roads, said Jerry Silva, a project manager for Southern California
Edison.

"That site was selected for the proposed substation because it
had the least amount of impact on the environment, is adjacent to
existing power lines and is the most cost-effective," Silva said.
The transmission line that will bring power to the substation runs
along the west side of the proposed lot.

Substations are links in the electricity distribution chain.
High voltage is needed to transfer electricity from a generating
facility over long distances to serve customers. That voltage then
has to be reduced at a substation to a level that can be used by
consumers for their electrical needs, such as powering lights,
computers, televisions and other devices.

Electricity would enter the proposed substation at 115 kilovolts
and then be reduced to 12 kilovolts and sent along to homes and
businesses, Silva said. The proposed Triton substation is expected
to serve areas of Temecula and Murrieta, as well as the new
developments of Roripaugh Ranch, Rancho Bella Vista, Johnson Ranch
and adjacent areas of unincorporated Riverside County.

Silva said the new substation will relieve stress on the entire
electrical grid in the region, as more electricity will become
available to customers.

While substations do not produce electricity, they make it
usable by homes and businesses. The more substations there are, the
more electricity can be converted for customer use. That relieves
stress on the system, which is particularly important in periods of
heavy use.

There are now two substations in Temecula and two in
Murrieta.

Temecula has an estimated population of 98,000, but that number
is expected to climb to 110,490 residents in 2025 said Temecula
Principal Planner Patrick Richardson.

The city supports the project, Richardson says, because it helps
to provide the necessary electricity to support future development
that is planned in the city.

As the population increases, the demand for power will exceed
what is available from existing distribution facilities serving the
area as early as summer 2010, said Viet Tran, region manager for
Edison. At the same time, new development such as the expansion of
The Promenade mall also increases the demand for electricity, he
said.

Silva said the most common concern regarding new substations is
"What will the facility look like?"

He said the substation, which will be unmanned, will have
nine-foot tall barrier walls as well as landscaping surrounding the
structure.

Tran said keeping residents informed on the plans will be a main
goal as the project moves forward. Hoping to quell concerns about
the project early in the process, company officials are planning an
open house next week to allow residents to ask questions and submit
comments.